


And Baby Makes Three

by secretsidgenowriter



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Adoption, Babies, Babysitting, Bad Dreams, Children, Doctor AU, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Halloween, Kid Fic, M/M, Mpreg, Newborns, Single Parents, Snow, skinned knees, summertime
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 18:04:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 10,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20313742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/secretsidgenowriter/pseuds/secretsidgenowriter
Summary: Tumblr prompts that revolve around kiddos.





	1. Gummy Bears

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts are unrelated and vary in length.

Sid barely has time to get the front door closed behind him before Ben collides into the backs of his legs.

“Daddy!” He yells, loud and wild and far too animated for this time of night. “Daddy up!”

Sid bends down, wincing at how snug his dress pants feel against his thighs and picks Ben up, settling him on his hip.

“Why are you still awake,” Sid asks as they head down the hall. “Bedtime was two hours ago.”

“Uncle Geno said we could watch a movie so we did. Then I asked if we could watch another movie so we did that too.”

Sid hums and pauses at the base of the stairs. “Why is your tongue blue?”

Ben sticks his tongue out like he’ll be able to see it and Sid gets a good look at the gummy candy stuck in his back teeth.

“You and Uncle Geno had a lot of fun tonight, didn’t you?”

Ben nods and Sid kisses his cheek before he sets him down on the stairs.

“Head on up and get ready for bed. Make sure you brush your teeth really well.”

“Daddy,” Ben complains and Sid does his best to hide his smile.

“I’ll know if you don’t.”

“How?”

“I’ll see all that candy stuck in your teeth.”

“Then I won’t open my mouth.”

“Ever?”

Ben presses his lips together tightly and shakes his head.

“How will you eat?”

“I won’t,” Ben says quickly, lips fused back together as soon as he shuts his mouth.

“Well that’s too bad,” Sid tells him, “I was going to make chocolate chip pancakes tomorrow for breakfast but if I’m the only one eating them…”

“I’ll brush my teeth,” Ben yells, turning on his heels and scurrying up the stairs.

“I’ll be right up to tuck you in,” Sid calls after him, “I’m just gonna talk to your Uncle Geno real quick.”

Sid watches him run up the stairs then listens to his footsteps as they go down the hall toward the bathroom.

Sid starts to pull at his tie as he heads for the living room and he has it nearly unknotted by the time he finds Geno.

He’s sitting on the floor with his back against the couch and his legs stretched out beneath the coffee table which is littered with bags of candy and empty wrappers.

Geno looks beat and barely lifts his head when he spots him standing in the entryway.

“Looks like someone raided the candy drawer, eh?”

Geno smiles. “You won big award? Why you not take home and display?”

“It’s for being a model citizen in Pittsburgh. It’s not something you can really brag about. Kind of defeats the purpose.” He groans a little as he sits down on the floor next to Geno. His body has taken a beating this late in the season and he’s certainly not getting any younger.

“Would be nice for Ben to see.”

“He’s seen the cups,” Sid says, “those are the only ones that matter.”

Geno rolls his eyes and Sid elbows him in the ribs.

“Sorry I don’t have a whole trophy room in my house like you do.”

“When you win lots you need whole room. You would need two. Have the space.”

“You sound like Tanger. He keeps telling me that if I explain all this to Ben it’ll make me seem a lot cooler.”

“Don’t need trophies for that. He already think you cool.”

“You’re sweet when you’re exhausted.”

“Always sweet,” Geno says and Sid hums.

“Now, you want to tell me what all the candy is about?”

Geno shrugs as Sid picks up an opened bag of gummy bears and pops a red one into his mouth.

“Just you know…try to have fun.”

“By making sure he never falls asleep tonight? You’ve babysat before and it hasn’t been like this. What’s up?”

“He like candy.”

“Geno.”

Geno huffs. “Don’t know. Want him to have a good time. With me.”

“He always has a good time with you. That’s why I asked you to watch him and not his normal sitter or any of the other guys.”

“Want him to _like_ me.”

“He loves you. He’s loved you basically since he’s come home from the hospital. It’s all he’s ever known.”

Geno crosses his arms over his chest. “He loves me like he loves rest of guys on team.”

“Is that a problem?”

“No, but rest of guys on team don’t like you like I love you. This is…I’m.” He looks away, clearly frustrated with not having the words and Sid gives him the time to find them. He stays quiet but puts his hand on Geno’s thigh to show support. “I love you,” Geno finally says. “I love you and him and this thing… us…is most important. Very serious. I’m done, Sid, you it. No one else out there and I’m know we not together together very long but I feel like I’m know you forever. We grow up together. You know me better than anyone.” He looks over at Sid almost shyly. “I think, maybe we get married someday, if you want.”

Sid swallows and nods. He wants.

Geno smiles back at him and covers Sid’s hand on his thigh with his own. Sid flips his hand over so they’re palm to palm and laces their fingers together.

“Want to have future with you,” Geno says softly, “both of you. I’m know that’s far off and we not even tell Ben we together yet but I want him to love me know. Like more than just teammates. I’m Uncle Geno now and that’s fine but someday…”

Someday Geno wants to be Ben’s father and the thought of it makes Sid rock forward and press their lips together.

“I love you,” Sid tells him and Geno huffs again.

“Well I know that. We talk about Ben now.”

Sid laughs and presses their foreheads together. It still doesn’t feel like they’re close enough.

“I love you,” Sid says again, “and so does Ben and whenever you’re ready to be more than Uncle Geno I’m sure that Ben will be ready for that too.”

“How do you know?”

“Because he talks about you and asks about you constantly. Because he has your jersey hanging in his closet and he insists upon wearing it when I take him to skate. Because he’s been practicing how to do your celly. When you get hurt all he wants to do is make you get well cards and whenever we walk through a door he makes me go first because he wants to go last just like you.”

Geno’s eyes look red rimmed and he brings his free hand up to wipe at his nose.

“He do all that? Really?”

Sid nods. “He’s crazy about you. Guess it runs in the family.”

Geno laughs wetly and Sid kisses his forehead.

“Stay over tonight,” Sid says. “I’ll go tuck Ben in while you clean this mess up.”

Geno sighs and drops his head back against the couch and Sid brushes his fingers through Geno’s hair.

“And then you can get me out of this suit,” he adds and Geno perks up. “I promised Ben that we’d have pancakes tomorrow—.”

“Chocolate chip,” Geno asks and Sid nods.

“We can tell him about us over breakfast.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. G, all those things you said about me, I feel the same way about you. There’s no one else. There’s not going to be anyone else. I’m only going to introduce my son to my boyfriend one time and it might as well be over pancakes.”

“But what if he doesn’t like?”

“He will.”

“Sid, you don’t know.”

“I know my son. He’ll either not think about it at all or he’ll be excited that he gets to see you even more than he does already.”

“But what if–.”

“Then we’ll talk to him,” Sid interrupts. “If–and it’s a huge if–he doesn’t react the way I know he will, we’ll find out what’s bothering him and how we can fix it. We’ll work at it. We’ll make it work. Okay?”

Geno nods and Sid presses a kiss to his temple. “Do you think you can get up or are you stuck down here?”

“Can get up,” Geno says as he pulls his legs back and uses the coffee table to help hoist his body up. He stretches, arms raised over his head and back bowed before he reaches down to pull Sid up as well. “Old but not that old.” He picks at the collar of Sid’s shirt. “Have to get you out of suit, remember?”

“Oh I remember,” Sid tells him, bracing his hands on Geno’s chest and leaning up for a kiss. Geno ducks his head and right before their lips touch Sid rocks back and says, “but you have to clean up first.”

“Mean,” Geno says with a dramatic roll of his eyes and Sid slips by him, lightly swatting him on the ass as he goes. “Mean.”

“Meet me upstairs,” Sid calls over his shoulder then he stops and turns around to watch Geno gather up the wrappers and has a wild thought of getting down on one knee and asking Geno to marry him right now.

Geno looks up and stares back, eyebrows raised. “Sid?”

Sid shakes the thought away for now. “Start the shower when you’re done, okay? I’ll try to keep it to two bedtime stories, three max.”

Geno laughs and nods. “We know is going to be at least four but yes, will start shower.”

Sid gives him one more smile and heads for the stairs.


	2. Infection

Geno rests his cheek on the top of Tolya’s head as his son fusses on his lap. He’s waving his little arms and kicking his little legs and he’s been crying so hard for so long Geno doesn’t think he actually has anymore tears left to cry.

Geno makes soothing sounds and rubs his back as Tolya hiccups and squirms, making it almost impossible for Doctor Crosby to get a good look into his right ear.

Doctor Crosby was nearly certain it was an ear infection given the symptoms that Geno had rattled off in a rush as soon as the doctor stepped through the door.

“Don’t know what to do,” Geno had said while Tolya’s wailed in his arms, “he sick but don’t know why, can’t help, need help.” Geno was almost on the verge of tears himself when Doctor Crosby laid a careful hand on his shoulder and told him everything was going to be okay.

“Getting him here is a great first step,” he had said, all calm and quiet and Geno had felt himself relax beneath his touch. “The next is to get his temperature, okay? Real quick and easy, you’re both gonna be just fine.”

Tolya does have a fever, “just a slight one,” Doctor Crosby assures trying and failing to make Geno feel better about the situation.

“I just want to get a quick look in his ear,” Doctor Crosby says, otoscope in hand. “Real quick, bud, c’mon.”

Tolya wiggles and fusses until Doctor Crosby pulls a small, stuffed penguin out of the pocket of his white coat and dangles it in front of Tolya’s face.

Tolya stops crying, blinks at the penguin, then reaches out for it.

“There you go,” Doctor Crosby says as he finally gets a good look into his ear. “Everyone loves the penguin.” He straightens up and runs a hand over the top of Tolya’s head. “It’s definitely an infection, but just a minor one. It should clear up in a few days with some antibiotics.” He sets the otoscope down and pulls a pen out of his pocket. He clicks it open then scribbles something on the clipboard he brought in with him. “Mr. Malkin, are you okay? Is something else worrying you?”

“He stop crying,” Geno says softly. “Hasn’t stopped crying for…feels like forever and he just stop. Because of penguin.”

“Yeah, kids love that guy for some reason. Don’t worry,” he says quickly, “I disinfect him a lot and I swap him out for a new one on occasion as well.”

“Is miracle penguin,” Geno says still in disbelief as he starts to pry the stuffed animal out of Tolya’s hand.

“No, no no,” Doctor Crosby says, shoving the clipboard beneath his arm and covering Geno’s hands with his own. They’re soft and warm and when Geno looks up, he realizes how close they are to each other and how pretty Doctor Crosby’s eyes really are. “I don’t have the heart to take that back from him. It’s his now.”

“Is really nice,” Geno stutters. They’re still so close and Doctor Crosby’s hands are still covering his own. “But I can’t. We can’t. Is yours.”

“I have others, don’t worry. Hopefully it helps him get a little rest, he looks like he needs it.”

“Didn’t sleep at all last night,” Geno agrees. “Either of us.”

“Well then I hope both of you get some rest.” He slowly pulls his hands away and shoves them in the pockets of his coat. I think you guys are all set. I’ll get this prescription sent in for you and they’ll check you out up front. If you have any other questions or you don’t think he’s getting better don’t hesitate to call, okay?”

Geno nods, still a little dumbstruck at everything that just occured and Doctor Crosby smiles and nods then takes a second to wave at Tolya before he opens the exam room door and steps into the hallway.

Geno listens to his footsteps disappear down the hall then takes a deep breath and kisses his son on the top of his head.

“Let’s go home,” he says, “Papa needs some sleep.”


	3. Eating Outside

Geno shakes his head and laughs as Sam catches the elbow macaroni that fell off Ben’s flailing fork out of mid-air.

“What’s funny,” Sid asks, leaning over with his own fork to scrape Ben’s mac and cheese into a pile so it’s easier for him to get more on his fork.

They’ve been working on developing Ben’s motor skills lately, giving him more blocks and puzzles to play with and having him hold a spoon or a fork while he eats. It’s a lot to ask and Geno would be the fork ends up being dropped or thrown across the deck somewhere in the next thirty seconds.

It’s okay though. Sid has an extra fork for him and Sam will clean up and macaroni that happens to hit the deck with it.

“Is Sam,” Geno says. “She act all old and tired and slow when we try to take her for a walk but when there is food, she real quick.”

“She’s food motivated,” Sid says and Geno nods.

“Like you then?” He laughs when Sid gives him an unamused look and Geno gently pokes at Sid’s shin with his bare feet, flip flops forgotten somewhere inside the house. “Don’t look like that,” Geno continues as a smile threatens to bloom across Sid’s face. “I’m know what you do for sweets.”

He winks and Sid presses his lips together, forcing them to stay down in a straight line instead of curving up.

He pokes a little harder with his toes, dragging them further up Sid’s legs until they disappear beneath the hem of his shorts and Sid finally laughs and swats his foot away.

Geno smiles in victory and puts his foot down flat on the deck.

“Papa,” Ben calls, waving the plastic fork in his little hands and Geno’s heart melts just like it has been every day since they brought Ben home from the hospital.

Sid pushes the macaroni into another pile and fondly rolls his eyes when Ben dives in with his free hand, squishing the noodles between his fingers before bringing them up to his mouth. A few make it in and the rest fall between his body and the high chair before slipping down to the deck where Sam is eagerly waiting.

“This is why we eat outside as much as possible in the summer,” Sid says, “easy clean up.” He stands and Ben watches him, dropping whatever was left in his hand onto the deck for Sam. “Do you want to go out for ice cream tonight or just stay in?”

“Ha!” Geno barks a laugh and leans back in his chair as he claps his hands together. “I tell you you have sweet tooth.”

“I never said you were wrong,” Sid tells him as he picks up his own plate and swoops down to kiss the top of Ben’s head. “Do you want to go out or stay in?”

When Sid turns the corner of the table Geno catches him around the waist and pulls him down for a kiss, fingers curling in the worn fabric of his t-shirt.

Sometimes Geno can’t believe that he managed to luck into this, that they both made it here, together, with a child and a dog, spending summers on an idyllic lake in Sidney’s hometown.

It seems like a lifetime ago that they were just kids, weighed down with the expectations of the city and lifted up by budding and unfamiliar feelings for each other.

They’ve come a long way and Geno’s thankful for every step they’ve taken together.

“Love you,” Geno says and Sid’s eyebrows raise, just a bit, like he’s always just a little surprised to actually hear the words despite Geno saying them over and over again.

“I love you too,” he says, ducking down for another kiss. Then he adds, “ice cream or no ice cream,” and Geno laughs.

“Always ice cream.”


	4. Chilly Summer Evenings

“Kids go down okay,” Sid asks over his shoulder when he hears the screen door open.

“Fine,” Geno says, grunting softly as he lowers himself down beside Sid on the porch steps. He has two mugs in his hands, one tea and one coffee. He hands the coffee off to Sid. “Little bratty. Maybe just tired. Long day.

“Terrible twos,” Sid says as he takes his first sip. It’s decaf, too late at night for anything else, but he hums in surprise when he tastes the liquor Geno mixed in.

“Good,” Geno asks, smile curving around the rim of his own mug.

“Reminds me of how we got the kids,” Sid says and Geno laughs and knocks their shoulders together.

“Was good night,” Geno says wistfully as he puts his mug down and pulls the sleeves of his shirt down his arms to cover the goosebumps.

They’ll have to close the windows tonight. Maybe even pull out an extra quilt for the bed. The humidity earlier in the day broke with an impressive but quick passing thunderstorm leaving the air cool and clean.

It’s perfect.

“You cold,” Geno asks, moving to wrap his arm around Sid’s shoulder before Sid can even answer.

“I’m good,” Sid says, but he leans a little closer anyways.

He closes his eyes and rests his head on Geno’s shoulder.

When he’s finished with his tea, Geno will gather Sid up and bring him inside.

Maybe they’ll wash off the stress of the day together in the shower. Maybe they’ll make love cocooned beneath the covers, lips pressed to skin in an attempt to stay quiet.

Maybe they’ll fall asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow.

There’s a number of possible outcomes but for now, Geno will press a kiss to the top of Sid’s head and watch the bright yellow buttercups on the lawn sway back and forth in the cool breeze.


	5. Punctual

The thing about Sid is that he’s always on time.

He’s a strong believer in the thought that if you’re not ten minutes early you're late. He always budgets extra time for traffic or a flat tire or spilling soup on your pants and having to change last minute, the latter of which has never happened but if it does, he’s ready.

“When you show up late for something it’s saying that your time is more valuable than everyone else’s time. It’s rude. I can’t have that.”

“Does not say rude,” Geno tells him for the hundredth time. They’ve had this exact conversation at least one hundred times. “It say ‘_something unplanned come up and make me late._’ Is not big deal.”

“It’s a huge deal,” Sid tells him. “You’ll never, ever catch me being late for something.”

Currently, Sid is ten days past his due date. He’s losing his mind.

“Well, at least we know the baby is Geno’s,” Tanger says. He has his hands splayed across Sid’s huge belly over his t-shirt, feeling the baby kick. “He’s running way late.”

Geno laughs and Sid pushes Tanger’s hands away.

“You get away from me,” Sid says, pointing a swollen finger at Tanger. They’re so big he can’t even wear his wedding ring anymore. He swings it around in Geno’s direction. “You shut up, too. This whole thing is your fault.”

“How is my fault? It take two people to make baby, Sid.”

“If lateness is genetic this is your fault.”

“Have you tried all the tricks,” Tanger asks. “When Cath was pregnant the doctor gave her a huge list of things to help hurry it along.”

“Done everything,” Geno says.

“I’ve taken walks, I’ve eaten spicy food, I even did some acupuncture. That sucked.”

“What about sex,” Tanger says.

Sid scoffs. “I really don’t feel like being touched by now.”

“Can the doctor just induce you?”

“They usually don’t until two weeks have past.”

“Sid tried to bribe doctor,” Geno says and Tanger’s eyebrows shoot up.

“I did not,” Sid defends. “I just said that I was thinking about donating to the hospital but I didn’t feel like I could do anything until the baby was born.”

“And then he wink,” Geno says, giving Tanger an exaggerated wink. “Very weird, Sid.”

“I was desperate. I don’t see you coming up with any new ideas.”

“I say we try sex.”

“Yeah right, like you really want to have sex with me when I look like this.”

“Always want to have sex with you.”

“I’m gonna go,” Tanger says, shooting off the couch and backing quickly toward the front entryway. “I’ll let myself out.”

He darts out of the room and they listen to his retreating footsteps until the front door opens and closes behind him. A moment later they hear his car rumble to life and he pulls down the drive.

Sid sighs and looks down at his hands where they’re folded over his belly.

“Sid,” Geno says carefully as he sits down beside him. Sid feels the cushion dip but he doesn’t look up. “You think I don’t want you?”

“I think you love me and you don’t want to hurt my feelings and you’ll say you want me but I just don’t believe that you could ever be attracted to me when I look like this.”

Geno covers Sid’s hand with his one of his own and crooks the finger of his other hand beneath Sid’s chin so Sid has to meet his eye line.

“Sid, think you are beautiful like this. You carrying life. Our baby. You are best thing I ever see.” He cups Sid’s cheek in his hand and Sid presses a kiss to the center of his palm. “You incredible. You believe that?”

“When you say it,” Sid says quietly and Geno leans in to press a kiss to the sweet curve of Sid’s lips.

The kiss quickly turns heated, Sid’s hands sliding through Geno’s hair and Geno’s hands dipping beneath the waistband of Sid’s sweats.

“How would we even do this,” Sid pants as Geno kisses a path down the side of his neck. “I can’t….I’m too big.”

“I think maybe you bend over arm of couch. We make work.”

He hops off the couch and helps Sid to his feet, pausing to kiss him again.

“Going to be good,” Geno promises before Sid waddles over to lean over the arm.

Thirty minutes later, Sid’s water breaks.


	6. Confusion

“Sid, help me find L side!”

The instructions crinkle in Geno’s hands as he brings them closer to his face to read, like that’s somehow going to make everything more clear.

He’s read them, all the way through, backwards and forwards, twice and he still doesn’t understand them. He even took a glance at the Spanish and French versions just in case despite the fact that he doesn’t know Spanish and the only French he’s picked up are the crude words that the French-Canadians have taught him over the years.

“What did you say?”

Geno looks up from the pile of lumber and bolts and screws that are strewn across the floor and finds Sid poking his head into the room.

“L side. It says insert panel G,” he says as he picks up what he’s only sixty percent sure is panel G into side L with screw number four and bolt seven. Don’t know what L side is.”

“But you know what everything else is?”

“Yes. No. Maybe. Will figure out once I get side L.”

Sid steps the rest of the way into the room and sits down gracefully beside Geno.

“Won’t be able to do that for long,” Geno says. “Going to need help getting up.”

“I won’t be that big for a few months,” Sid tells him as he picks over the pieces in front of him, glancing down at the instructions as he goes.

Sid’s barely showing right now. It’s still early enough that they can pass off the small swell as water weight if anyone should be rude enough to point it out.

“You said L,” Sid asks and Geno nods. “There’s no diagram or anything?”

Geno shakes his head.

“Are you sure you’re reading the right instructions?”

“What are wrong instructions, Sid?”

“I don’t know. It’s just weird that there’s no diagram. Are you sure?”

“Not stupid, Sid, have read instructions a million times. No diagram.”

“Okay, calm down. Jeeze, are you sure you’re not the one that’s pregnant? You’re awfully cranky.”

Geno fights the urge to roll his eyes. “Have to put crib together, Sid.”

“Do we have to do it right now? We’ve got like, seven more months before we’ll need it.”

“Instructions not going to be any clearer in seven months.”

“Can we just buy one that’s already assembled? The guys just bring it in all put together already.”

“No. You parents put together your crib, my parents put together my crib, we put together our baby’s crib. This is happening.”

“Because, if I can’t put together stupid crib, how an I going to raise baby.”

Slowly, Sid sinks back down to his knees, closer to Geno this time. “Where is this coming from?”

“Baby is much harder than crib and if I can’t figure this out then I never figure baby out.”

“I don’t think those two things are related,” Sid says softly, voice full of support as he rubs his hand over Geno’s back. “Nobody likes putting together a crib. They’re fucking terrible, okay? They’re impossible. Call my Dad and ask him. Call your Dad. Call literally any of the Dads on the team. I bet they’ll all tell you they’re a total nightmare and every single one of those guys raised a really good child.” He leans in and kisses Geno’s cheek. “Your Dad especially. We’ll figure this crib out, both of us, together, just like we’ll figure out what we’re doing with this baby. Okay?”

Geno nods and leans into another kiss then hands over the instructions when Sid takes them.

“Let's start from the beginning, maybe that’ll help.”

Sid scans through the steps quickly then frowns.

“Well, this makes no sense.”

Geno huffs a laugh and leans his forehead against Sid’s shoulder.


	7. First Time Your Baby Makes A Sound To Identify You

“Eh. Eh.”

Sid doesn’t look up from his omelet but Geno drops his cereal spoon back against the bowl.

“Sid,” he says as Ben bangs his hangs happily against the tray of his high chair. “Sid, he talk to you.”

Sid hums and looks up then wiggles his fingers at Ben. Then he goes back to his breakfast.

“Sid,” Geno says a bit more urgently. “He was _talking_ to you.”

“He was babbling. He’s been doing that a lot lately. They’re going to turn into actual words soon. We should probably figure out exactly what we want to be called.”

“No. Sid. No. He looked at you and he spoke. Here, I show you.” He leans forward and taps Ben on the shoulder to get his attention. “Ben,” he says and points his finger at Sid. “Who is that?”

Ben swings his head over and blinks at Sid. Then he smiles and says “eh!”

“See!” Geno shouts.

“That’s a baby noise,” Sid tells him as he runs his hand over Ben’s soft, baby hair.

“No, he say just like you. He copy. Very Canadian of him. Need to teach him Russian quick.”

“You should definitely teach him Russian but I still don’t think that was anything other than a baby sound. Now come on,” Sid says as he lifts Ben out of his high chair. “I’m going to get him cleaned up so you can get ready for practice. I don’t want to be late again.”

Ben keeps doing it.

At dinner and before bath time. During breakfast and while Sid is trying to rock him back to sleep.

It’s the same noise every time and each time he’s looking right at Sid when he says it.

“I think maybe you were right,” Sid says as they look down at Ben who is sitting on the floor with his arms outreached toward Sid saying “eh! Eh! Eh!” over and over again.

“Oh,” Sid says as he drops down to the floor beside him and picks him up. He cradles him close to his body as he sits back on the ground.

“You crying,” Geno asks and Sid shakes his head even as tears start to form.

“He has a word from me. He knows who I am. He recognizes me.”

“Lucky,” Geno says and at the sound of his voice Ben turns and points his hand.

“G! G!”

Sid gasps. “He called you G because that’s what I always call you. He knows your name.”

Geno leans forward on the couch and makes grabby hands toward Ben. As soon as Sid hands him over Geno is kissing Ben’s face making him giggle.

“Smart boy,” Geno says between kisses, “have to be genius. Going to be speaking full sentences soon.”

Sid laughs softly and pulls himself up onto the couch beside them .

“He’s perfect,” Geno says and Sid leans in and kisses Ben’s cheek and then Geno’s


	8. Little One's First Formal Wear

“Ben, can you please stop messing with your vest?”

“But it’s itchy!”

“You have a shirt on underneath it, it can’t be itchy.”

“But it’s itchy when I touch it.”

Sid closes his eyes briefly and takes a deep breath. “Then stop touching it, please.”

“But Daddy-.”

Sid sighs loudly. “Geno can you please?”

“I’m here,” Geno says as he sweeps into the room. He’s mostly dressed- he still needs a tie and a jacket and his hair is still sticking up from where he took a nap on the couch this afternoon. He scoops Ben into his arms and spins him around, making him laugh. “What is wrong,” Geno asks as he sets Ben down on the bed. Standing up, Ben and Geno are eye to eye.

“This is itchy,” Ben says as he pulls at his vest. “I don’t want to wear it.”

“Then don’t wear,” Geno says simply and Sid groans from inside the closet.

“He has to wear it. All the other kids are going to be wearing it too. It’s for the performance. He can take it off as soon as he’s off the stage.”

“Sorry, little,” Geno says. “Have to wear.”

“Papa,” Ben wails and dramatically throws himself into Geno’s arms.

Secretly, Sid agrees with him. It’s ridiculous that a bunch of kindergartens have to dress in three-piece suits to play a few songs on the recorder.

But Ben’s school is like that. Over the top and lavish.

“How about I make a deal with you,” Sid says as he steps out of the closet with a tie for himself and one for Geno. Geno’s sitting on the edge of the bed tying his shoes with Ben draped over his shoulders, pouting. “You can take the vest off now–.” He pauses as Ben pushes himself off Geno’s so he can start unbuttoning. “But you have to put it back on in the parking lot of your school. Okay?”

Ben answers by tossing the vest back onto the bed. “Please don’t wrinkle it,” Sid says to Ben as he hands Geno his tie.

Geno thanks him then pats him on the butt as he goes by.

“Let’s go get in the car while your Papa finishes getting ready,” Sid says to Ben, holding his arms out so he can jump into them.

Geno frowns up at the clock on the wall as he loops his tie around his neck. “Still have lots of time.”

“I want to get there early,” Sid says, shifting Ben in his arms so he can reach down for the forgotten vest. “I want to make sure we get a good seat.”

Even with the extra time they still end up in the third row.

“At least it’s in the middle,” Sid says as he moves the program he had been using to save Geno’s seat so he can sit down.

After a long and drawn out battle in the parking lot Geno finally wrestled Ben into his suit then brought him backstage to meet up with his teacher and the rest of his classmates while Sid snagged them a seat.

“Have to get lots of video for parents,” Geno says as he looks over the program. The kindergartners are first followed by the first graders who will be doing some kind of skit about winter. There are six grades in this school and each one is putting on some kind of performance.

It promises to be a long night.

“Ben is tall,” Geno continues as he looks over the program. “Should be easy to see. Told Ben we’d take him for ice cream after for keeping his suit on.”

“Do you think we’re spoiling him?”

“Because of ice cream?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know. I mean, look around.” He drops his voice to a whisper so the other parents don’t hear. “Look at this school. Look how fancy it is.”

“Is good school. Good teachers. Is why we put him here.”

“I know, I know, but I just think about how we were raised…we didn’t have a fraction of what we have now. Our parents worked so hard to find opportunities for us and then we worked so hard to take advantage of those opportunities.”

“You think he won’t work hard? He is five years old. Can give him a few more chores, I guess.”

“No, it’s not that. I don’t know. Maybe it just feels different because he’s an only child and he gets all of our attention all of the time. We both have siblings. The focus was split.”

“Ah,” Geno says as he looks back at the program. “Easy fix. Just get another kid.”

“Okay,” Sid says and Geno blinks a few times before he looks over at Sid.

“Okay?”

“Yeah. Okay. Let’s do it. Let’s get another one. We’ve both always wanted a lot of kids and we’re not exactly getting any younger and I think it would be nice for Ben to have a sibling. Let’s do it.”

“Sid, maybe you forget how much work baby is.”

“Who says it has to be a baby? There are tons of kids of all ages that need homes.”

“No potty-training,” Geno says almost wistfully and Sid smiles. “We talk to Ben,” Geno says and Sid nods. “See what he thinks and then….maybe we call agency?” He smiles suddenly, like the happiness just bursts right out of him then leans in and presses the curve of his lips to Sid’s cheek. “Crazy,” he says, “but can’t wait.”

Sid leans into the touch as the lights dim and Ben and his classmates file out onto the stage.


	9. Holding Little One For The First Time

Benjamin is the smallest thing Geno has ever loved.

When the nurse puts him in his arms for the first time Geno swears he could fit in the palm of his hand.

Sid’s standing at his shoulder, one hand under Geno’s so they can both cradle his weight. Geno knows Sid’s not worried about him dropping him, it’s just about being close. There’s no where else he’d rather Sid be.

“My god,” Sid breathes out. Just a simple exhale of words and feelings and tears prick at the corner of Geno’s eyes.

“I know,” Geno says back as Ben’s face scrunches up and then relaxes. When he opens their eyes they’re a brilliant blue.

Geno’s heart is going to beat out of his chest. It’s too big for his body. He thought finding Sid was always going to be the thing to push it over the edge but clearly there was more room.

“Sid,” he says, because what else can he say? Words aren’t coming. It’s just a rush of emotion in his head and heart.

Sid pushes his face into Geno’s shoulder, the cotton of his t-shirt soaking up Sid’s happy tears as Geno’s fall free.


	10. "Please don't cry."

“Please don’t cry.”

Alex Letang looks up at him with watery eyes and a quivering lip and Geno holds his breath as Alex’s mouth drops open and he starts to sob.

He never should have agreed to babysit. He’s going to kill Tanger.

Things had been going so well, too. They had just come from the Science Center and they were on their way to get lunch when Alex tripped over a bit of uneven pavement. Geno tried to catch him but Alex is much closer to the ground than he is. He didn’t have that far to fall.

Now there is a hole in his jeans over his left knee and the skin is red and scraped and he’s crying and Geno doesn’t know what to do.

Geno is good with kids. But crying kids is something he doesn’t know how to handle.

Alex probably needs a band aid but Geno doesn’t have one of those. He also probably needs a hug and a kiss from either of his parents but Geno doesn’t have that either.

He is Uncle Geno but what is that to a crying five year old?

Alex’s face is bright red and his tears are falling in big, wet, drops and Geno feels a little like crying, too.

But first he’s going to sue the city for their uneven pavement and maybe the owner of the ice cream shop that they’ve stopped in front of as well. He has know idea if business owners are at all responsible for the sidewalk in front of their stores but he’s going to find out and if they are, Crosby’s Cones is getting run out of business.

“Alex,” Geno pleads as he kneels down in front of him, “is okay, you’re okay. I promise. I get hurt worse all the time. Your Papa gets hurt worse all the time.”

Alex stops crying, takes a moment to process what he’s just heard, then tips his head back and screams.

Geno hangs his head then falls back against the sidewalk.

He’s at a loss. He’ll wait it out.

A moment later the door to the ice cream shop opens behind Alex and a young woman pokes her head out. She’s young, late teens, maybe. Old enough to be working given the bright blue apron tied around her. Her blond hair is gathered at the top of her head in a ponytail that tips to the side when she frowns down at Alex.

“Oh no, what happened?”

“Tripped over sidewalk,” Geno says, sounding as miserable as Alex looks. “Now he cry.”

She worries at her bottom lip then says “hang on a sec,” before ducking back inside. Geno hears her call for someone named _Sidney _before the door swings shut.

Thirty seconds later the door opens again and a man steps out.

_Sidney_ is wearing an apron as well, dark green instead of bright blue, and he has a small First Aid kit in his hands. There’s a moment of recognition in his eyes when he looks at Geno but it passes quickly as he focuses on Alex.

“Hey, bud,” Sidney says as he crouches down beside Alex. His voice is soft and gentle and Alex sniffles. “Heard you had a little accident, huh? I’ve been bugging the city about that sidewalk for years but they haven’t done anything about it,” he says, face tilted toward Geno before he turns back to Alex. “This doesn’t look too bad though. I think maybe just a band aid and you’ll be good to go, what do you think?”

Alex looks to Geno and then up at Sidney and by some miracle he nods and Geno’s whole body sags with relief.

Sidney pops open the kit and pulls out a fistful of band-aids, all different colors.

“You want to pick,” he asks Alex and after a moment’s hesitation Alex points to the bright yellow one. “Good choice,” Sidney says as he unwraps the bandage and smooths it over Alex’s exposed knee. “There you go, all better. Do you feel better?”

Alex nods as Sidney pushes himself to his feet. Alex follows after and then there is only Geno, sitting on the pavement when his arms wrapped around his bent knees.

“Brave kid,” Sidney says then holds his hand out Geno. Geno takes it and lets himself be pulled up, amazed at the strength of him. “You okay,” he asks Geno and Geno nods.

“Yes, was just a lot. Crying kid, not know how to help. You save day.”

Sidney waves his hand. “Hardly. Do you have time to come in for some ice cream,” he asks and Alex’s eyes light up as he wipes his nose on the sleeve of his sweatshirt. “On the house.”

“You already do so much,” Geno says but Sidney shrugs.

“When you’re the owner you can do what you want. So what do you say?”

Sidney smiles at them and Geno is charmed.

He’s cute and kind and handsome and Geno knows this will be the first visit of many.


	11. Bad Dreams

Sid’s eyes pop open at the first hiccuping cry from down the hall.

He’s a light sleeper these days, has been since they first brought Ben home. It makes him feel like a wonderfully attentive father, making it to Ben’s side and providing comfort before he could ever really start to wail but it has its downfalls.

He can no longer fall asleep on planes or take naps on the bus. It takes forever for him to fall asleep in hotel rooms with so many strange noises filtering through the walls.

Geno, on the other hand, can sleep through anything. When Ben was real little and it was Geno’s turn for night feedings he had to have the baby monitor on his side of the bed with the sound turned all the way up, defeating the purpose of letting Sid sleep.

Sid doesn’t resent him, although his teammates with children have said that he should.

(He’s not sure if they were joking or not.)

Geno doesn’t stir as Sid pushes himself to his feet and rubs the sleep out of his eyes. He pads down the hall as Ben begins to cry in earnest. When Sid pushes Ben’s door open all the way he finds him sitting up in bed, washed in the glow from the nightlight with his hands balled into fists and pressed against his eyes.

“Hey, bud,” Sid says gently and Ben drops his hands from his eyes then immediately reaches out for Sid.

“Daddy,” he cries and Sid’s across the room in a flash.

He sits on the side of the bed with Ben in his arms and gives him a few moments of quiet comfort before he gently asks him what’s wrong.

“Dinosaurs,” Ben wails and Sid rocks him back and forth. He’s going to kill Jake for showing him Jurassic Park.

“You had a bad dream,” Sid asks and Ben nods his head against Sid’s chest.

Normally Sid would explain that it was just a dream and dreams can’t hurt you. That dinosaurs don’t exist anymore and what he saw in the movie were basically big puppets. He’d wait until Ben settled down–no matter how long it took–then tuck him back into bed with whatever stuffed animal was his favorite at the moment and head back to bed himself.

But they have a game tomorrow and Sid is so, so tired and sometimes the easiest solution is also the right one.

“Do you want to come sleep with us in our bed,” Sid asks and Ben hops off his lap and starts to tug Sid to his feet, stopping only to clamor back onto the bed to grab Teddy the turtle.

Ben bounces up onto the bed, making Geno mumble something in his sleep. Ben pokes at Geno’s cheek and Geno twitches.

“Let your Papa sleep,” Sid tells him but Geno hums and cracks open one eye. “Hey,” Sid says softly, “we got a visitor.”

Geno hums again and wraps an arm around Ben, dragging him close to his body. He presses a kiss to the top of his head.

“Baby in bed,” he sing-songs, “why we have baby in bed?”

“I’m not a baby,” Ben tells him through a giggle.

“Nightmare,” Sid says as he climbs back into bed and pulls the covers up.

“Oh,” Geno says, “no nightmares. Nothing will hurt you.” He’s already starting to fall back asleep and he’s barely making sense. “I protect.” He extends his arm over Ben and wraps his hand around Sid’s arm. “We protect.”

Between one breath and the next Geno is asleep with Ben following immediately after.

Sid closes his eyes and with both his boys safe and tucked in beside him, he falls back to sleep.


	12. First Halloween

“We have raccoon and duck.”

Geno holds up both costumes, one in each hand, and makes encouraging noises about both.

Sid buries his nose in Ben’s hair. It smells like baby shampoo.

“Are those my only choices?”

“Is best choices,” Geno says. “Raccoon is so cute with little tail and everyone love duckies.”

Sid smiles at _duckies_. “I thought maybe we could do a theme thing, you know, with all three of us.”

Geno lowers the costumes. “You want us to dress up?”

“Yeah. You could wear your jersey and I could wear mine and we’ll dress him as…I don’t know. A ref or something.”

Gene wrinkles his nose.

“Or maybe we could turn the wagon into a Zamboni and he could be the driver. That would be adorable.” He picks Ben up off his lap and holds him out to Geno to take so he can pull out his phone. “I’m going to look on Pinterest and see if anyone had done it before. Then we have a blueprint to work off of.”

Geno rolls his eyes good naturedly and smacks a kiss to the side of Ben’s face making him giggle.

“Daddy crazy,” Geno tells him and Sid scoffs.

“You love it,” Sid says and smiles when Geno leans in for a kiss.

“Bet I do.”


	13. First Time In Snow

They bundle up Benjamin so tightly that he can barely put his arms down.

“You think maybe we overdid it,” Sid asks. “It’s not even that cold out?”

Geno snorts. “You never think anything is cold. Is cold out, Sid. Half a foot of snow. We put lots of layers on him. Not going back to doctor's office if he catches fever.” He shudders and Sid sympathizes. The coughing children. The germ infested toys and magazines. The smell of disinfectant. He doesn’t want to go back there either.

“But he can’t even move,” Sid reasons and Geno shrugs.

“Is baby,” Geno says, “why he need to move? We move him.”

Sid hums. Ben will be walking on his own any day now and he knows Geno’s not handling their baby growing up so quickly.

“You ready,” Geno asks and Sid nods and opens the door.

It’s not snowing anymore but a few flakes fall from the trees and float to the ground.

Ben wiggles when they touch his cheek and Geno kisses them away before they have a chance to melt.

“Get phone out,” Geno says but it’s already in Sid’s hands, camera app open and finger ready to record. “Going to put him down.”

He sets Ben down at his feet and he leans against Geno’s shins to stay up right. He pats a mitten covered hand against the snow then tries to take a step and falls face first into the powder.

Geno gasps and scoops him up ready to run back inside with him but Benjamin is laughing, real baby belly laughs, as he blinks the flakes out of his lashes.

“He loves it,” Sid says softly and then “he loves it! That’s my boy! A little snow baby!” He busses a noisy kiss to Benjamin’s chubby cheeks and Geno rolls his eyes.

“Never vacationing anywhere warm ever again, are we,” he asks and Sid beams up at him.

“Put him back down. I want to get some photos.”

Geno sighs but puts him back in the snow.


	14. Little one pulling on your hair with surprising strength

Sid doesn’t fully understand the appeal of the typical mom haircut until Benjamin reaches his adorably precious- _couldn’t-be-cuter-if-they-tried_\- hands into his hair and yanks.

Ben is a small baby but apparently has the strength of a full grown man and it takes Sid and his mother a good five minutes to untangle Sid’s curls from his pudgy little fingers.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Sid says as he massages his scalp while his mother bounces Ben in her arms, careful to keep him a safe distance from her own hair. “He can’t even lift his head on his own yet but he can do that?”

“Babies are hair magnets,” she says, “why do you think I cut my hair when you were born?”

“He’s never pulled on Geno’s hair like that.”

“Well, sweetie,” his mother says as she runs her hand over his head. She wraps one of his curls around her finger and tugs gently. He’s quick to bat her hand away. “Geno’s hair isn’t as long as yours. You know you’re due for a trim.”

“I know. I just haven’t gotten a chance to. I’ve been so busy.”

“I’m here now. I can watch him while you go.”

“I don’t know.” He’s still at the stage where leaving Ben feels like leaving a piece of himself behind. He doesn’t feel whole without Ben in his arms.

“If you’re worried about me and him don’t be. I raised two children without incident. We’ll be fine for a few hours. It’ll do you some good to get out of the house.”

“I don’t–.”

“Sidney, please just go. Your hair is starting to look shaggy and I can’t stand it anymore.”

Sid gasps and his mother leans down to kiss his cheek. Benjamin pats at his face.

“I’m sorry, hunny, but the hair hides your handsome face. Go do something about it, please. And get lunch while you’re out or at least a coffee? When was the last time you stepped out on your own?”

“A month or two,” Sid says and Trina shoos him out the door.

It’s heaven at the barber shop.

Having his hair washed–actually washed, not just rinsed off because Ben was crying in his crib and Geno was trying to get the formula to the right temperature in the kitchen and Ben needed him– is heaven.

He’s only there for a trim but then he thinks about Ben’s fingers tangling in his hair and how much it hurt.

He asks the barber to keep going.

After, he grabs lunch a food truck and eats out in the sunshine. Then he grabs himself an iced coffee and wanders around downtown for awhile.

It’s a nice afternoon and when he finally gets back to the house he feels refreshed. He needed this and he’s grateful that his mother made him go.

She’s loading the dishwasher when he gets home. He can hear Geno singing to Ben in the living room.

“Oh Sidney,” she says, “you look so handsome.”

“Want to see handsome husband,” Geno calls and then in a softer voice says “you want to see handsome Daddy?”

Trina pats Sid’s arm and Sid steps around the corner and into the living room.

Geno is sitting on the floor with his back against the sofa. He has his knees bent and Benjamin is laying against his thighs being swayed back and forth.

Geno freezes when he sees Sid and Ben immediately starts to fuss.

“Keep going,” Sid urges, “he’s going to start crying.”

“Your hair,” Geno says as Sid sits down on the coffee table in front of them. He’s only been gone for a few hours but Ben already looks like he’s grown. “Where are curls.”

“I got a trim. It was getting long.”

“Not trim. Is all gone.”

“It’s not all gone,” Sid says as he touches his hair. It’s short but it’s definitely still there. “Ben grabbed a hold of it today and yanked. I’m surprised he didn’t rip it out and leave me with a bald spot. He’s only going to get more grabby so I had to cut it. You don’t like it?”

“Love curls,” Geno says. “Had them when we first meet. Make you look so sweet.”

Sid’s shoulders drop. “So you don’t like it?”

Geno studies him then holds his hand out and pulls Sid down against his side. “Think you look handsome no matter what. Have best looking husband all the time. Plus this way can see grey hair.”

Sid’s hands fly to his hair. “I do not have grey hair.”

“Do too,” Geno says with a smile. “Is good thing. Is like…what is called when older men are handsome?”

“You’re older than me.”

“Distinguished,” Geno says with a snap of his fingers. “Very, very distinguished. Looks good.” He leans over and kisses the side of Sid’s neck and Sid’s eyes slide closed. “Most distinguished husband.” He presses another kiss to Sid’s temple and Sid sighs happily and tucks his head beneath Geno’s chin.

Ben reaches for him, little hand outstretched, and grasps onto Sid’s finger.

Sid lets him hold it as tight as he wants.


	15. "Don't you ever do that again!"

“Don’t you ever do that again!” Sid’s kneeling down in front of Emily, his hands on her shoulders while her bottom lip wobbles. “Do you understand,” he asks before shaking her gently and hauling her against his chest.

He tucks his face into her hair and squeezes his eyes shut as she softly hiccups against his neck. His knees sting from where he dropped to the sidewalk too hard and too quick and Emily’s tears are hot and wet on his skin as he rocks them back and forth.

He’s sure people are staring at them but he doesn’t care. The worse almost just happened and he’s going to sit here with his daughter in his arms until his heart rate slows and he can see something other than her running in busy morning rush hour traffic when he closes his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Daddy,” Emily says and Sid takes a shuddering breath and cups the back of her head with his hands. She knows not to run ahead like that and she knows to stop at the light and that she can’t cross the street without holding his hand but things happen. Mistakes happen.

“It’s okay,” he says, “you’re okay.”

Sid finally opens his eyes and the first thing he sees is the runner that grabbed her just before she stepped off the curb.

He’s hunched over and breathing heavily, either from the run or the weight of what he just did. Saving someone’s life can really take a lot out of a person.

Sid gets himself to his feet but keeps Emily close beside him. “Thank you,” he says to the runner who straightens up and is much taller than Sid expected him to be.

“Is no problem,” he says in a thick accent but he takes a huge gulp of air and runs his hand over his face. It’s handsome and full of character even behind the flushed cheeks and sweat. “Happy she okay.” He waves at the traffic. “Cars go too fast here.”

“I’ll never be able to thank you enough,” Sid says, “seriously. You saved her life and mine. I would have just ran out after her.”

“Glad you both safe, then,” the jogger says and Sid holds his hand out and doesn’t let him go.

“Can I buy you coffee. Maybe. Something. Anything. I have to do something.”

The jogger hesitates and looks Sid over, his gaze lingering over his ringless left hand before he nods.

“Am Geno,” he says as he holds his hand out and Sid takes it.

“Sid,” he says then squeezes Emily’s shoulder. “This is Emily.”

“Hello, Emily,” Geno says. “Next time wait for walk sign, okay? Scare us.”

Emily nods and looks up at Sid. He sighs and smooths her hair back, heart rate just starting to slide back to normal.

“Where would you like to get coffee,” he asks Geno and when he looks up Geno’s smiling softly at him.

Sid’s heart rate kicks right back up.


	16. "Oh, you're jealous."

“Oh, you’re jealous,” Geno says with a soft laugh and Sid’s hand stills on Benjamin’s back.

The baby is sleeping peacefully on Geno’s chest, his head resting directly over Geno’s heart. It’s the first time he’s slept in…..god only knows which means it’s the first time Geno and Sid have had a moment to lay down and rest their weary new-parent bones.

Sid’s been steadily inching his way closer on the bed like he’s trying to get his entire body flush with Geno’s and if he moves another inch he’ll be on Geno’s lap with Ben.

Geno means the jealousy crack as a joke. Sid’s always been a bit territorial–standing closer to Geno and staking a claim whenever he thought eyes were on him in a bar or a club.

Geno always found in funny because it’s not like his eye ever wandered anywhere but to Sid and he means for Sid to laugh now, just an exhausted exhale of breath before he drifts off into some well deserved sleep but he tenses instead. Geno knows his husband well enough to know that something is wrong.

Sid slowly pulls his hand away and tucks it beneath his own head. “It’s not jealousy,” he says quietly and Geno waits, giving Sid plenty of time to get his thoughts together. “I’m not jealous,” he says again and Geno nods. “I love him so much I don’t even….” Sid takes a deep breath and leans forward to press his forehead against Geno’s shoulder before pulling back. “I don’t even know what to do with everything I’m feeling for him but I think about our life before and our life now and I worry I’ll miss what we had. God.” His face scrunches up and then he’s covering his face with his hands and curling in on himself like the thought is physically painful. A kick to the stomach.

Geno carefully slides Benjamin into the free space between them and reaches for Sid, curling his fingers around Sid’s wrists to pull his hands away.

“Sid, look at me.”

“It’s awful,” Sid says, voice muffled by his hands. “I’m awful. After everything we went through to get him–all that time and worry and now I’m thinking like this. It’s horrible.”

“Not horrible,” Geno says, finally prying Sid’s hands away from his face. “Not horrible.”

Sid gives him a wide eyed stare and plows on. “It’s terrible. _I’m _terrible. I’m laying here with you and our perfect son and I’m nostalgic for what…sleeping in on Sundays and having sex on the kitchen floor whenever we want. What a monster I am. What a terrible father I’m going to be.”

_“Hey,”_ Geno says sharply because he loves Sid and won’t put up with anyone putting him down, even if it’s coming from Sid himself. “Not a terrible father, you understand?”

“Geno,” Sid says helplessly and Geno’s heart breaks when he sees his red rimmed eyes.

“What you feel is normal.”

“It’s not, it’s not normal,” Sid says with a quick shake of his head. “You don’t feel like this.”

“Don’t know what I feel.”

“I do. I know that you’re one hundred percent devoted to both of us and you would never-.”

“I miss sleeping in,” Geno interrupts. “I miss sleeping. I miss eating full meal at kitchen table instead of sneaking bites while I bounce fussy baby in arms. Miss going to movies and out to dinner and being alone with you.” He lays his hand on the side of Sid’s face. “Miss sex on kitchen floor,” he says and takes a small victory in the way Sid’s lips curl upwards. “Things are very hard right now. Never think they would be this hard. Everyone says and books all warn but don’t know until you live it. But you love him?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Support him, be there for him, do anything for him?”

Sid closes his eyes and nods. “You know I would.”

“Okay then,” Geno tells him. “Things will be hard and then easy and then hard again but as long as you hold onto that….things will be okay.”

“How can you be so sure,” Sid whispers as he finally reaches back out and drags his knuckle against Ben’s soft cheek.

“Because it’s you,” Geno says, “and it’s me.” He kisses the top of Ben’s head then grabs a hold of Sid’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “What can’t we do?”


End file.
